Trimming board



Sept' 23, 1941- A. BLANC A, 2,256,606

TRIMMING BOARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .Filed Fer. 3', 1941 fxx Sept. 2 3, 1941. A. l. BLANC 2,256,606

TRIMMING BOARD Filed Feb. 3, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheva 2 Patented Sept. 2 3, 1941 TRIMMING BOARD Adolph I. Blanc, Coldwater, Mich., assigner to David W. Blanc, Coldwater, Mich.

Application February 3, 1941, Serial No. 377,160

(Cl. Y16d- 44) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to trimming boards and the like. Trimming boards nd considerable use in photographic work for trimming and cutting to size photographic materials. Because of the peculiar nature of the work all operations must be performed in a dark room and therefore, it is desirable to use equipment which may be adjusted very rapidly and with a minimum of effort to meet required conditions. With the trimming boards now generally in use, because of the ineiiicient means provided for trueing up the photographic materials, it is difcult to work both rapidly and accurately in making adjustments for a variety of conditions. Another fault common to trimming boards, presently used, is that no safety means is provided for preventing the cutting blade from accidentally falling down and injuring the operator while engaged' in using the board.

In accordance with the foregoing it is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a trimming board in which adjustments for a variety of conditions may be made very rapidly and very accurately with a minimum of effort.

Another object of this invention is the provision, in a device of the character described, of

safety means whereby accidental injury to the operator is avoided.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a trimming board, accomplishing the above described objects, which is simple and durable in construction and which is highly efiicient in operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel Construction, combination and arrangementI of parts hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional View taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of a detail looking in the direction of the arrows 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational View, partly in cross section, of a detail of construction looking in the direction of the arrows 4--4 of Figure 1.

Fig. 5 is a cross Sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Figure 4.

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings wherein is shown a. preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral ID designates, generally, my improved trimming board which comprises a rectangular base member I2 formed preferably of wood and having two or more strips I3 secured thereunder to provide a support for the base member and to add rigidity thereto. -The base member" I2 is recessed along one side to accommodate the metal strip I5 provided with a cutting edge I6 adapted to cooperate with the cutting knife I8v to produce a shearing action. The surface face of the base member I2 is divided into one-hall inch squares, the dividing lines I9 consisting of very narrow grooves cut into the face of the base member I2 land presenting aA contrasting color. A graduated scale 26 is provided along one side of the base 'member I2. The provision of grooves as dividing lines is highly desirable, since they are permanent in character and cannot be worn off, as is the case with printed or painted lines which are now generally used in trimming boards.

A straight edge abutment comprising a metal strip 22 is secured as by screws along one edge of the base member I2, at right angles to the cutting edge I5. Countersunk holes are provided at the ends of the strip 22 to receive bolts or studs 24 which sup-port a guide carrying rod 26' presently to be described. The bolts or studs 24 are vertically disposed and are secured as by lock nuts 21.

The guide carrying member 26 comprises an elongated member or rod hexagonal in cross section and is drilled at each end for the reception of a stud or bolt 2li. It will be understood that rods having other geometrical cross sectional shapes may be used as well. As will be seen in Figures 1 and 6, the studs 24 carryY nuts 23' on which the rod 26 is supported. The. nuts 28 are movable axially of the studs. for adjusting the height of the rod above the. strip 22. Lock nuts 30 are provided for fixing the adjustment so made.

A guide member 3I formed of a metal strip is secured at one end to a member 32 shaped substantially as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The said member 32 is provided with upstanding ears 34 having alined hexagonal apertures 3.5 for receiving the rod 2S, and a rearwardly disposed ear 3l provided with a threaded aperture for receiving a knurled set screw 36.. The member 3| is slidable on the rod 26 and is secured in position by the set screw 36 which is arranged to. engage the said rod. y

The other end of the guide member 3l which extends over the edge of the base member I2 is provided with an aperture 38 and is received in the recess 39 of an L shaped member 40. The horizontally disposed leg 4I of the member 40 has an aperture 42 therein and is adapted to engage the under surface of the base member I2'. In assembled relation the apertures 38 and 4-2 are in alinement and a bolt 44 extends therethrough. By tightening the wing nut 45 on the boltboth the guide member 3 Iv and the leg 4 If of the member 40 are moved towards each other and as a result tightly grip the edge of the base member I2 and secure the guide member 3| in adjusted position. The guide member 3| is thereby maintained flat on the surface of the base member so CII vation of Vthe guide member 3| relative to the surface face of the base member |2 is correspondj" ingly adjusted. It `will of course be understood that the most desirable'a'djustment is thatin which the member 3| lies on the surface face and is freely slidable thereover, it being apparent that a tight contact between the member 3| and the surface face would hinder or prevent the sliding` of said member while a separation of the member 3| from the surface face would permit a sheet of material to slip under the said member and thereby cause it to be trimmed improperly. A' Ihe vmember V32 when secured by the set screw 36 is automatically alined so` that the guide member 3| is positioned exactly at right angles to the abutment strip 22 and parallel to the cutting edge i6. Since the member 32 is self aliningon the rod 26,- an operator may make an adjustment of the guide member using only one hand; if his other hand is occupied.

f The cutting knife |8 is provided with a handle 41 and a cutting blade 48 removably securedto Vthe knife shank. The said knife is pivotly mounted, as will be presently described `andV is arranged to cooperate Vwith the cutting edge I5 to produce ashearing action. As shown particularly inFigure 4, the end of the knife shank is drilled to accommodate a spindle 49 which isaixed thereto, the spindle being rotatably supported in a bearing member 5|, hereinafter to be described, and being threaded on its free end toireceve a pair of lock nuts 52. A cam surface 54 including an elevated portion 55 is prol vided at the end of the knife shank and is adapted for engagement with a cooperating `cam surface 56 on the bearing member 5|. An abutmentportion 58 on the end of the shank projects from the*l cam surface 54 and is 'adapted to engage the abutment 59 of the cooperating cam surface 56 to limit the pivotal movement of the knife `I8.

. The bearing member 5|;y includes a bracket portion 6| and the cam surface 56, hereinbefore referred to, the said bracket portion being secured to the rear wall of the base member I2. Thea said cam surfaceA comprises al portion 62 which increases progressively in elevation from its lower-most -portion 63 to the abutment 59, as shcwnV in Figure 4.

VA coilspring 65 carried on the spindle 58 abuts the journal member 5| and the nut 52, and has its ends Ianchored in suitable holes provided inthe opposing faces thereof. The said spring therefore serves two-fold function, that of maintaining the cutting edges of the knife-and strip in constant operative engagement and that of opposing the downward movement of the knife, so that accidental falling of the knife is completely` avoided at any position occupiedk by the knife. The cam surfaces 54 and 56 are so proportioned that the cuttingl edges of the knife Iii and the strip I5 are progressively engaged when the knife is swung downwardly.

When the knife I8 is swung downwardly, as when a cutting operation is to be performed, the elevated portion 55 of the cam surface 54 engages the cam lportion 62 and causes the knife Ynow generally in use. includes means for rapidly and accurately trueing up, with a' minimum of effort, photographic' I8 and spindle 49 to move to the left, as viewed in Figure 4. This movement is opposed by the spring 65 which acts to maintain the cooperating cam surfaces, as also the cutting edges, in engagement, to produce an efficient shearing action. vIt will thus be seen that I have provided a trimming board which by its construction overcomes the undesirable features of like devices The present construction material to be trimmed, as also other means for preventing the accidental dropping of the knife, thereby preventing serious injury to the operator.

It is to b e understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described, is to` be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size andarrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit ofmy invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A trimming board of the character described comprising a rectangular base member having a metal cutting edge along one side thereof, a cutting knife pivoted to said base member and adapted to cooperate with said metal cutting edge to produce a shearing action, 4a rod mounted along one side of said base member at right angles to said cutting edge, a guide member slidably but substantially rigidly associated with said rod to maintain the guide member in contact with the base member and` arranged for slidingV movement in a direction parallel thereto, and means associated with saidknife for opposing the downwardpivotal movement thereof whereby accidental falling of said knife is avoided.

2. In a trimmingboard of the character described, a rectangular base member having a metal cutting Aedge along one side thereof,v a cutting knife pivoted to said base member and arranged to cooperate with said metal cutting edge to produce a shearing action, a rod mounted along one side of said base member at rightangles to said cutting edge, a guide member having one end slidably associated vwith said rod and extending at right angles thereto, said guide member being substantially rigidly mounted on said rod to maintain the guide member in contact with the base member butbeing slidable axially thereof, and clamping means at the other end of the guide member means for locking said guide member in position. Y

3. A trimming board of the character described comprising a rectangular base member having a plane surface and a metal cutting edge "along one side thereof, a cutting knife pivoted to said -base member and arranged to cooperate withk said metal cutting edge to produce a shearing action, a rod mounted along one side of said base member at right angles to said cutting edge, a guide member engageable With said plane surface, said guide member having one end rigidly associated with said rod to maintain the guide member in contact with the base member but slidable axially thereof, means for adjusting the height of said rod relative to said plane surface whereby the relative distance of said guide member tosaid plane surface is correspondingly ad- J'usted.

ADOLPH LBLANC. 

